I have an external hard drive to do my backups

I don't understand the external hard drive?? If I put my pix from iPhoto do I delete my pix that are on the MacBook pro, will I really have all of them on the external hard drive? Do they show up again when I plug in the drive on the iPhoto app or in a picture folder? Confused?

FIRST, you should have a Backup of every one of YOUR files on your computer. If you want to backup Mac OS X as well, you can -- but I figure I can re-install Mac OS X from DVD or online sources in a few hours. So I save more space for my files and only back up my files.
One of the most reliable ways (because you don't have to remember to do it) to do this is to use Time Machine. It takes a long time the first time, then does an incremental backup (only what has changed) every hour, when the external drive is connected.
Mac 101: Time Machine

Similar Messages

  • I have an external hard drive, from Iomega. However, I cannot copy or save any file to it. On my PC it says that is possible to read and write in it, but in my Mac, it says I can only read. can somebody help me?

    I have an external hard drive, from Iomega. that I can open and see my files. However, I cannot copy or save any file to it. On my PC I have it says that is possible to read and write in it, but in my Mac, it says I can only read. can somebody help me?
    Also, Im a photographer, so I like to name a lot of files at the same time (used to do in on PC and it was very usefull.) cannot find out how to do it on my Mac. Really appretiate if some one can give me a solution! Thanx

    Your drive is formatted with the NTFS file system.  OS X can read but not write to the NTFS file system.  There are third party drivers available that claim to add the ability to OS X to write to an NTFS partition.  I have not tried them and don't know if they work.
    The only file system that OS X and Windows can both write to natively is the FAT32 file system.

  • I have a external Hard drive of 1TB. I want to transfer HD movies to it from my MAC but it can only take 4 gb at a time, now i have to format it which is the best format in this situation NTFS or exFAT, as i use windows part ion as well??

    I have a external Hard drive of 1TB. I want to transfer HD movies to it from my MAC but it can only take 4 gb at a time, now i have to format it which is the best format in this situation NTFS or exFAT, as i use windows part ion as well?? plzz help
    Merry Christmas

    Repartition and format the drive for a Mac:
    Drive Preparation
    1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
    5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
    6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

  • I have an external hard drive that shows up in disk utility but Verify and Restore are greyed out.

    I have an external hard drive that shows up in disk utility but Verify and Restore are greyed out. I am trying to determine what is wrong with the drive.
    I need the data on the drive and it won't show up in Disk Warrior. I have tried different Mac's and different USB cords only to find the same outcome. When selected in Disk Utility the information read as such...
    Disk Description : WD Elements 1023 Media                      Total Capacity : 500.11 GB (500,105,740,288 Bytes)
    Connection Bus : USB                                                               Write Status : Read/Write
    Connection Type : External                                                     S.M.A.R.T. Status : Not Supported
    USB Serial Number : 575837314135304D36373132        Partition Map Scheme : Unformatted
    As the drive shows in Disk Utility there must be some life left in it surely. There is a possibilty that the physical connection between the USB cord and the external drive is damaged but since the drive shows up I believe it's unlikely... before I give it to the pro's is there anything else I can do to diagnose the issue?

    Hello,
    I have just experienced the same thing!
    Although my external drive shows in Disk Utility, it does not show in Finder.
    And the Verify/Repair buttons are also greyed out.
    Also, although the drive is 2TB. DU shows it as having Total Capacity of only 4.14GB! (Which should be the Free Space).
    I was wondering if you solved your problem, & if so, would you share your solution.
    I´m afraid to Erase in case I lose all my Data on the drive.
    Thanks in advance for your reply!

  • I have an external hard drive that was formatted by a PC and has files and directories etc. I want to format it and use it on my IMAC for backup but I can't seem to write to it nor can I delete current content. How do I initialize it for use with the MAC?

    I have an external hard drive that was formatted by a PC and has files and directories copied to it etc. I want to use it on my IMAC for backup. I see it on my my IMAC . I can open files etc.  But I can't seem to write to it nor can I delete current content. I don't care if I lose current content. How do I initialize it for use with the MAC?

    You can't write to it because it's formatted as NTFS which OS X will read but not write to. If you want to continue using the drive with both a PC and OS X you will need to download and install NTFS-3G so you can then write to it from your Mac. You can get NTFS-3G at:
    http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24481/ntfs-3g
    If you want to use the drive exclusively with your Mac then move the data off it and reformat it in Disk Utility (Applications - Utilities - Disk Utilities) as Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)

  • HT201250 I have two external hard drives. One is my Time Machine backup drive.  The other I use for external storage of files (documents, photos, movies, etc).  Can I set Time Machine to backup BOTH my Mac hard drive and my other external hard drive?

    I have two external hard drives. One is my Time Machine backup drive.  The other I use for external storage of files (documents, photos, movies, etc).  Can I set Time Machine to backup BOTH my Mac hard drive and my other external hard drive?

    Yes you can make multiple backups on one hard drive, for example if you’ve 1TB hard drive installed in your PC and you’ve two Mac Machines with 500GB drive each then you just make two backup images with size of 500GB each.
    http://www.halfspot.com/use-your-pc-hard-drive-for-time-machine-backup/

  • Re Time Machine I have an external  hard drive with files I backed up manually over the past 2 years 1TB of memory. I am finally taking the leap to use Time machine to back everything.   will I have to reformat that drive, thus wiping my previous bac

    Re Time Machine
    I have an external  hard drive with files I backed up manually over the past 2 years 1TB of memory.
    I am finally taking the leap to use Time machine to back everything.
    will I have to reformat that drive, thus wiping my previous back ups?
    can I split it the drive in two partitions?
    Also
    as I have two separate Macbook Pro's- one older than the other.
    OSX 10.68
    the other is
    OSX 10.75
    can I back them up separately?
    or even synch and merge files and folders etc? between the two?

    You CAN use a drive with files already on it to store Time Machine backups. But long term, that is not recommended. You do not need to reformat or re-partition the drive to do this. Once Time Machine Backups are established, you could remove the old files.
    But do not delete Time Machines files with the Finder -- that can cause it to lose its place and lose everything.
    With the cost of backup drives under US$100, it might be a better idea in the long run to get another drive. Best results from Time Machine is a drive about 3 times larger than the drive(s) you are backing up.

  • I have an external hard drive from my time capsule that stopped working on me. I am attempting to access the data with a hard drive reader on my MAC. I am able to see the drive in disk utility and under system info USB. But I am unable to access the data.

    I have an external hard drive from my time capsule that stopped working on me. I am attempting to access the data with a hard drive reader on my MAC. I am able to see the drive in disk utility and under system info USB. But I am unable to access the data and it does not show on the desktop when connected.

    Ok if disk utility was able to verify the drive I doubt there is any problem.. are you trying to open a TM backup??
    You need to mount the sparsebundle then check the actual info inside the bundle.
    Don't use disk warrior.. if the disk has verified then unless you deliberately deleted files there is nothing that is going to do.
    Pondini has a lot of stuff about getting access to the sparsebundle.
    http://pondini.org/TM/17.html
    But if you have copied info to the TC that is now gone.. and the disk is ok.. I am not sure.. the TC will not have deleted the files itself.

  • My drive collapsed. I have an external hard drive. How can I put all my files there, using disk utility?

    So my MacBook Pro collapsed one day, and it turns on but only "Restarts" and shuts itself down on the procesa. The only thing I have access to is that 'Command + R' thing. There I tried "Verifying" and "Reparing" the Diak but the message of "Cant repair disk backup as many files as possible, reformat the disk and restore" popped up. So I have am external hard drive with more than enough space to put all of my files in there. my question is: HOW DO I DO THAT? from disk utility. Can somone please help me? Please! Step by step cause ptherwise I will mess it up and I really dont want to lose all the memories I have in my computer.

    After you restart so you have access to Disk Utility, with the external drive connected, choose the external drive from the left sidebar of the DU window.  If the drive has not been formatted for the Mac, choose Partition from the buttons top center of the main window.  Give the drive a name, you can leave it as one partition if you like, make sure the format is set as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled), and the partition table is GUID.  Then Apply and acknowledge that you know this will erase the disk.
    Then go to the button that says Restore.  Drag and drop the internal drive, Macintosh HD is most common, to the Source box, and drag and drop the external drive to Destination box.  Then Restore.
    That will create a clone of the internal and that will be a bootable clone.

  • I have an external hard drive that I have been using for years.  All of a sudden my mac will not recognize the external as a "save as" device location.  But the external does show up on my desktop and I can open it to drag and drop items. Help.

    I have an external hard drive that I have been using for years.  All of a sudden my mac will not recognize the external as a "save as" device location.  But the external does show up on my desktop and I can open it to drag and drop items.  What happened and how do I get my mac to rerecognize the device?!?!?

    Hi,
    Check Finder>Preferences>Sidebar, is it checked there to show external drives?

  • Whats the best way to transfer everything from my old macbook pro to a new mac mini, i have a external hard drive which i backup to regularly via time capsule

    whats the best way to transfer everything from my old macbook pro to a new mac mini, i have a external hard drive which i backup to regularly via time capsule

    Check out > OS X Lion: How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac

  • Is iCloud as good to back up files when an iMac 2007 model does not have an external hard drive is this enough to find files and apps at another time

    I have given my iMac 2007 model running mountain lion OSX 10.8.3 to a friend and she doesn't have an external hard drive to back up would using iCloud be as good to back up files pictures etc and can I find them again if lost please.

    These are the iCloud storage options: http://www.apple.com/icloud/includes/lightbox-storage.html
    Also bear in mind that:
    1. restoring data over icloud takes time
    2. iCloud is not designed as a replacement to Time Machine.

  • I have a new computer and have all my music is on an external hard drive.  I have the external hard drive connected to my computer.  How do I get my music that is on my ipod to go to the itunes on the new computer.

    I have a new computer and have all my music is on an external hard drive.  I have the external hard drive connected to my computer.  How do I get my music that is on my ipod to go to the itunes on the new computer.

    What error message are you getting when you try to launch iTunes? (Precise text, please.)

  • I have moved my iPhoto to an external hard drive. so now I have to have the external hard drive connected to my laptop to view the photos.  Now when I want to import photos into iPhoto from my media card, I don't have room to connect both devices.

    I have moved my iPhoto to an external hard drive. so now I have to have the external hard drive connected to my laptop to view the photos.  Now when I want to import photos into iPhoto from my media card, I don't have room to connect both devices at the same time as the usb ports are side by side.  How do I import my photos from the media card to the external hard drive now?

    First transfer the photos to a folder on your MacBook using Image Capture in your Utilities folder. Then move them to iPhoto.
    BTW, you might want to invest in a cheap USB hub.

  • I have a 3rd party SSD to put in my mac mini how do i get osx on it i do not have a external hard drive

    I want to put a 3rd party SSD in my mac mini and I no how to put in inside the mac mini but, how do I get osx on it preferably Yosemite I do not have a external hard drive just the one that comes with the mac mini and my 3rd party internal SSD please help me.

    The easy way is to Purchase an External Enclosure like the Startech USB 3.0 S2510BPU33 with UASP, its a Super Fast connection, SATA 3.1 @ 6 Gb/s.
    Just Pop your SSD inside the enclosure and use OS X Disk Utility to clone your existing HDD. This enclosure is So Fast you would not even have to open up your Mini to install the SSD, just Boot Externally you would Never Know the difference and your Warranty won't be affected by opening it up.
    What Mini do you have ?
    Link to Enclosure http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817707313&cm_re=startech_3 .0-_-17-707-313-_-Product

Maybe you are looking for

  • Report to check cancelled orders

    Hi, I want to see all the cancelled sales orders in the system. Is there a standard report that would allow me to do this? And what are the standard reports in SAP, which shows the SD order status, except VA05. Thanks in advance, Kanishka

  • How to use a event structure with a state machine

    First, I would like to inform you that I only work on LabView part time, and have much to learn.  Anything I do learn, I usually forget until I need it again, because I only work on it part time. Using your StopWhileLoopMOD[1].vi, I am trying to put

  • I am designing query based on dso

    Hi,          i am designing query based on dso. in my query  production orders have multiple operations.when i execute my query report is showing only latest operations.we need to all operation.how can i fetch. ex :   production order                

  • Invoice reversal

    Hi, when we cancel invoice document,, we get the following message: Document reversed with no. 5105600713: Please manually clear FI documents Message no. M8282 Diagnosis The invoice was successfully reversed. The FI follow-on documents cannot be clea

  • Imported photo's from my camera, after the import the photo's dissapear and now I have a palm tree in the events window.

    Imported photo's from my camera, and after making adjustments to the photos in iPhoto an error message appeared and now in the events box, there are no pictures just a gray and black palm tree photo. Any thoughts?